wutopia lab completes shanghai community space with arched façade and interiors

wutopia lab has been commissioned by the council of shanghai north bund tanghan street to convert a 35 sqm shopfront into a communal meeting space for the ‘tiger moms’ of the local district. located right opposite to the beihong senior highschool, the project seeks to offer parents and students a space for interaction, where tea parties, workshops, and arts and crafts displays can be introduced to revitalize the poorly used space and provide a great converging platform between the local community and the school.

all images by creatAR images

wutopia lab has formed the storefront’s whole façade in the shape of an arch, creating a simple and effective contrast with the existing, disordered streetscape. the irregular site is separated in three areas, where the small spaces at the corners are used for storage and a kitchenette. the language of the arch is continued inside, and, along with that of the exterior façade, a layered visual effect is generated, allowing the small property to appear deep nonetheless.

‘after the rain, the arch is reflected in the puddles on the ground,’ notes the studio. ‘this is when the arch becomes a complete circle, resonating visually with the oriental pearl tower, as if this neglected old district has become part of the modern shanghai once again. its visual effect has achieved its maximum potential, despite having such limited space.’

project info:

name: no.207 nanxun road city microupdate

architect: wutopia lab

chief architect: yu ting

project architect: zhilin mu

design team: chongguang fang

location: shanghai

area: 35 sqm

material: perforated aluminum plate, glass, steel plate, coating, green wall